Kingdom of Mountain and Vale
The Kingdom of Mountain and Vale 'is one of the constituent regions of Westeros and is a sovereign nation ruled by the Kings of Mountain and Vale. The Mountains of the Moon surround the smaller Vale proper, although the valley's name is often applied to all of House Arryn's realm. The Vale is ruled by House Arryn from the castle known as the Eyrie. Bastards of noble origin raised in the Vale are given the surname Stone. Geography The borders of the Vale are held to be the Bite to the north, the Bay of Crabs to the south, the Mountains of the Moon and then the riverlands to the west, and the narrow sea to the east. The Vale consists of various regions: the Vale of Arryn itself; the Mountains of the Moon; the snakewood; the Fingers; and the islands of the Three Sisters, the Paps, and Pebble. The Vale is located on the eastern shore of Westeros, a land of fertile soil, rivers, and lakes, protected by its largely impassable Mountains of the Moon. The Vale tends to be slightly isolated from the rest of Westeros. Its harsh winters make travel only possible through the mountains during warmer years, and rebellious mountain clans make travel even more dangerous. The Vale can be reached through the high road, which connects the Vale and the riverlands, and is protected by the Bloody Gate. The mountainous border of the Vale of Arryn proper appears to include the Bloody Gate in the west and the Eyrie and Longbow Hall to the north. The fertile lands within the valley include Ironoaks, Old Anchor, Redfort, and a peninsula containing the city of Gulltown and Runestone. The town of Wickenden is located along the Bay of Crabs, in the mountains south of the valley. Castles north of the Vale proper in the valleys of the Mountains of the Moon and the snakewood forest include Coldwater, Heart's Home, Snakewood, and Strongsong. History Following the failed invasion of Aegon Targaryen, Sharra Arryn, Queen Regent of the Vale, declared a bloodless rebellion. Many of her generals, particularly Lord Robin Royce, and others declared that this was the time for conquest. However, they first needed to dispatch an uprising of Mountain Clansmen under a Mountain King going by the name Timoth Firebrand of the Burned Men. Lord Belmore offered to take half of the army to take care of the Mountain Clans. Lady Sharra granted him leave and Lord Belmore went on the hunt. Lord Belmore, Lord Egen, Lord Gratfon, and Lord Hardying hunted down and slew the Firebrand. Without a King, the Mountain Clans fell to infighting, the Lords kept them from attacking the lands whilst other Lords of the Vale invaded the Riverlands. Lord Royce and other Lords demanded an immediate invasion into the Riverlands to expand their territory, citing that the other Kingdoms had bled greatly for their victories against the dragons. Once again Lady Sharra granted her lords permission to do so. Lord Royce, Lord Waynwood, Lord Redfort, and Lord Melcolm swept in from the east, overrunning the forces that held the North of the Riverlands. The Twins, Seagard, and Saltpans fell before them. The Lords debated invading the Kingdom of the Claw, but found the lands difficult and the Lords of the land were already on edge as a war raged in the Kingdom of the Dusklands. Within a year, the new Kingdom of the Vale was established under Ronnel Arryn. The boy king came of age in the year 14AA, and his mother crowned him as King of the Vale. The Second Generation (20 AA- 37 AA) For two decades the Vale was secure, and a period of peace reigned after a short but victorious war in the Riverlands. Unfortunately it was not to last. Whilst on the road, the Royal Family came under attack by a force of mountain clansmen. King Ronnel Arryn attempted to defend his family and died for it. The Queen Mother, Sharra Arryn, and her grandson, Jonos, escaped the ambush but not without injury. Two days later, King Jonos Arryn received his crown at the Bloody Gate. King Jonos assembled the greatest host the Vale had ever raised and lead them to a long and bloody war against the clans. Their foes fared exceptionally well, however. They had learned organization and it cost the Valemen dearly. For two years they fought, and though the Vale seemed to be winning their forces were exhausted. It was with this knowledge that the Riverlords chose this moment to revolt against their conquerors. House Fletcher rallied the Rivermen against House Arryn, but became beset by the forces of House Lannister. While King Jonos made one final effort to destroy the clansmen, House Fletcher defeated House Lannister and the whole of the Riverlands rose in their support. Knowing that the Vale did not have the men to put down the revolt and to finish the clansmen off, King Jonos struck a deal with Lord Quentyn Fletcher. The Vale would peacefully withdraw from the Riverlands so long as the Riverlands never attacked the Vale. As his armies marshalled for the final blow, however, the clansmen slipped away into the mountains, vanishing. King Jonos was mortified: he had lost his vengeance, he had lost the Riverlands, and he had wasted countless lives in the quest for the elusive mountain clansmen. Shortly thereafter he married a woman named Mya and she bore him a son, Eddisson. In 33 AA, the King in the North called on the Vale to send aid when the Wildlings passed the Wall and invaded the North. King Jonos dispatched a host under the command of his cousin Hubert Arryn, who perished in the fighting. For four more years King Jonos would reign before his death in the year 37 AA. The Third Generation (37 AA - 61 AA) King Eddisson Arryn ascended to the throne in the midst of a widespread plague of winter fever, one which had thus far spared the Vale. His lords saw the decimation of the surrounding kingdoms as an opportunity for expansion once again, but found King Eddisson to be less cooperative than King Ronnel: he refused them flatly, wishing not to spread the winter fever into the Vale. Rather than conquer, King Eddisson sought to invest resources into improve the Vale itself. He spent the next three decades building commerce and expanding ports, leading the Vale into a new era of prosperity. Some said he spent so much time on these projects he forgot to extend his own line. The Fourth Generation (61 AA - 99 AA) King Eddisson would marry in 62 AA, siring his first child, Ryon Arryn, in 64 AA and his second, Aemma Arryn, in 66 AA. Ryon Arryn would inherit in 90 AA when King Eddisson passed in his sleep. King Ryon Arryn was as aloof as his father, but with far fewer achievements to his credit. Spending many of the earliest years of his reign secluded in the Eyrie, King Ryon saw few of his subjects and notably did not find one to marry for a long time. In 100 AA he would marry, but the couple would never produce an heir for the Lonely King. The Fifth Generation (100 AA - 133 AA) For twenty-one years King Ryon Arryn and his Queen attempted to produce an heir, but they failed. In 133 AA King Ryon passed without issue, leaving the throne to his sister Aemma-- the Last Falcon. The Sixth Generation (133 AA - 157 AA) Queen Aemma Arryn, nearing her fortieth year herself, had already given birth to two daughters. She faced a definite lack of respect from her male lords, but earned it when she waged anew the war on the mountain clans. Rather than waiting for them to strike after a century of only mild raiding, she assembled a host and descended on them like a falcon. The victory over the clans sapped Queen Aemma's health, however, and she grew ill. Until 140 AA when she passed, she spent the remainder of her reign in the Eyrie under the care of a maester. The throne would pass to her eldest daughter, Alyssa Arryn. Alyssa bore a son on the first day of her reign, Andar Arryn. He would be the first male Arryn born in seventy years, and as such was the subject of fierce protection by his mother. Queen Alyssa would bear two more sons, Jonos and Vardis. It would be the effort of birthing Vardis that would cost the Queen her life, and the baby was stillborn besides. Ser Grover Grafton, Queen Alyssa's husband, would become regent alongside her sister Lady Lorra Arryn. Lady Lorra and Ser Grover would rule peacefully in young Andar's stead until he reached the age of majority in 156 AA. The transition would be smooth, and King Andar's father would pass shortly after he took the crown.' The Seventh Generation (157 AA - 209 AA) King Andar would prove a lesser king that his predecessors, however. Inheriting a strong economy and a prosperous kingdom, King Andar became given to extravagances-- grand tourneys, enormous feasts, and their like. While he cared little of governing, the strength of the Vale supported his habits and his lords tolerated his constant spending as it did not hurt their own coffers. King Andar's opulent reign ended in 205 AA, when he died. His child, Robar Arryn, came into his throne four years prior to another terrible plague. Fortunately, this one too passed the Vale by despite claiming many thousands of nobleborn and lowborn people alike. The Eighth Generation (209 AA - 240 AA) As before, when the plague ceased the crowing of the Lords of the Vale for another conquest commenced. King Robar Arryn refused, however, decreeing that the prosperity of the Vale came from avoiding wars, not seeking them out. He busied his lords with rooting out and destroying the clans in the mountains while he married and produced three children before passing in 240 AA. The Ninth Generation (240 AA - 265 AA) Lyonel Arryn would succeed his father, and courtesy of the late King Robar's efforts he had a betrothal to Lady Melissa Fletcher, daughter of the King of the Riverlands. Several years into their marriage the first child, Andar Arryn, was born. A full decade later their second, Osgood Arryn, would be born. Rumors of a new coalition of mountain clans reached the Eyrie, however. King Lyonel hunted for them, following any clue to their whereabouts for many moons until, fatefully, those clues lead him into a trap. Mountain clansmen ambushed King Lyonel, slaying him in the battle. His personal guard returned his body to the Eyrie, delivering it to his son Andar personally. The Tenth Generation (265 AA - Present) King Andar II Arryn would lead his armies out to the mountains seeking retribution for the death of his father, but unlike King Jonos he would find them and smash their coalition, engaging them in a merciless series of battles that, while costly, served to promise peace in the Vale for a generation. Valemen from the Fingers to the Bloody Gate would toast King Andar's name for his victories, singing songs of their fierce King. Wars and Battles of the Vale [[Aegon's Failed Conquest|'Aegon's Failed Conquest]] 1BA - 0AA: '''Aegon’s Conquest failed. His sisters and their dragons were killed. While the east was bathed in dragonflame, Aegon had wasted too many resources and lost a dragon trying to expand too quickly, and when the Great Alliance between Houses Gardener and Lannister met Aegon’s army on the Field of Valor, Aegon lost another sister, and was forced to flee in disgrace. As his armies collapsed and rebellion from his vassals was imminent, Aegon announced that he would fly his dragon to Valyria, and see what he could find to establish his kingdom anew. A year from the day he set foot on the shores of Westeros, he mounted Balerion and flew off into the sky, never to be seen again, leaving Westeros in chaos. '''Invasion of the Riverlands 0AA - 4AA: '''Taking advantage of the power vacuum created by Aegon's ravaging of the Riverlands, the Westerlands, Vale, and the Reach all separately invaded the Riverlands. They each laid claim to territory, and thus a three-way war began that would see years of skirmishes and battles, some large and some small, across the war-torn Riverlands. The invasion ultimately ends in 4 A.A. with the Treaty of Harrenhal. The lands up to Oldstone, Stone Hedge, and Stoney Sept are given to Lannister rule. The lands up to Raventree Hall, Darry, and Harrenhal are given to Gardener rule. The lands up to the Saltpans, the Twins, and Seagard are given to Arryn rule. '''The Mountain Clans Invasion of the Vale 1AA - 2AA: 'In an effort to take advantage of the Vale entering the Riverlands, the Mountain Clans, united under King Timoth Firebrand of the Burned Men, invaded the Vale. The war was short-lived, as Lady Sharra granted Lord Belmore leave to hunt the man. Lord Belmore, Lord Egen, Lord Gratfon, and Lord Hardying hunted down and slew the Firebrand. Without a King, the Mountain Clans fell to infighting, the Lords kept them from attacking the lands whilst other Lords of the Vale invaded the Riverlands. [[The Fletcher Rebellion|'The Fletcher Rebellion]] 21AA: '''The Fletcher Rebellion was a rebellion in the Riverlands by the man that would be known as Quentyn I Fletcher. He expelled the garrisons of House Lannister, and defeated them in battle after battle, gaining the support of many Riverlords. After slaying King Lannisters son, the West left the Riverlands. Making deals with House Arryn and House Gardener, the Riverlands was free. House Fletcher has ruled the Kingdom of the Trident. '''King Frostbeards Invasion of the North 32AA - 34AA: When the King-Beyond-the-Wall, Jormun Frostbeard, invades with a force of nearly 100,000 men and the Night's Watch can offer no support after they become trapped at the Wall, King Bennard II Stark is forced to make a terrible choice. Unable to fight them on the field, he sends word for aid to King Arryn and King Fletcher but accepts that any aid they send will not arrive in time. Bennard commands Lords Umber, Karstark, and their vassals to abandon their keeps for the safety of Winterfell and gathers as many men as he can to hold the wildlings at the Last River whilst the evacuation takes place. Eventually, Bennard is forced to retreat, but the northern families make it to safety in time and he begins to fortify the fields north of Winterfell for when the horde arrives. The Wildlings lay siege to both the Dreadfort and Hornwood, but make little headway, before moving to attack the capital. But reinforcements have arrived, King Arryn has brought a vast host of Knights of the Vale and promises that he saw Fletcher banners when he sailed into White Harbour. The wildlings attack at dawn, crashing into the ranks of northmen and valemen whilst they await the arrival of the riverlanders, but are horrified when two hundred Blackwood archers are all that arrive. Bennard and King Arryn's cousin both lost their lives in the battle, along with many other nobles from both kingdoms, but when Lord Flint impaled the King-Beyond-the-Wall, Jormun Frostbeard, upon his lance the wildling army collapsed and routed. [[War of the Trident|'War of the Trident']] '''290AA - 292AA: '''The War of the Trident is something of a misnomer, for while most of the fighting did take place in the Riverlands, it also spread out into various kingdoms with various factions competing for control. In fact, it cannot even be considered one single war, but rather a series of wars between various kingdoms that have been lumped in to the greatest conflict of them all. The war began with the death of two Fletcher heirs at the hand of Lord Harlaw, which led into a succession crisis in the Trident. Soon, all out war would erupt. In the end, after Lannister assistance, the Trident would remain free. The Dusklands and the Claw, however, would be subjugated under King Durran Durrandon and still are to this day. Using his claim from his mothers blood, King Andar II Arryn invaded. Though he was defeated in the end and lost his heir, the Vale was not truly beaten, and is biding its time, and with the Council of Harrenhal, his time may come. Houses Sworn to House Arryn of the Eyrie The principle noble houses sworn to House Arryn of the Eyrie are: * House Belmore of Strongsong ** House Breakstone of Breakstone ** House Pryor of the Pebble * House Corbray of Heart's Home ** House Coldwater of Coldwater Burn ** House Lynderly of Snakewood ** House Oldstone of the Fingers * House Egen of Mooncrest ** House Templeton of Ninestars * House Grafton of Gulltown ** House Arryn of Gulltown ** House Shett of Gulltown * House Hersy of New Keep ** House Elesham of the Paps ** House Upcliffe of Witch Isle * House Hunter of Longbow Hall ** House Donniger of Donniger Keep ** House Wydman of Wyd Hall * House Melcolm of Old Anchor ** House Moore of Moore Hall ** House Waxley of Wickendon * House Redfort of Redfort ** House Lipps of Lipps ** House Ruthermont of Ruthermont * House Royce of Runestone ** House Tollett of Grey Glen ** House Shett of Gull Tower * House Waynwood of Ironoaks * House Sunderland of Sisterton ** House Borrel of Sweetsister ** House Longthorpe of Longsister ** House Torrent of Littlesister Category:Westeros Category:Kingdom Category:Kingdom of the Mountain and Vale Category:The Vale